U.S. patent number 5,280,978 [Application Number 07/984,845] was granted by the patent office on 1994-01-25 for container device for the collection of waste.
Invention is credited to Jamie Bohn.
United States Patent |
5,280,978 |
Bohn |
January 25, 1994 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Container device for the collection of waste
Abstract
The present invention is a container device. It is comprised of
a flexible container with a firm flexible collar around the
opening. The collar is used to scoop the waste into the container.
The collar can open, close and manipulate the shape of the opening
to the container. The device also has a protective skirt of
flexible material that surrounds it and protects the user and the
container from contamination. The skirt contains a closure such as
a draw string or adhesive tape. After use, the skirt is pulled back
over the container and closed. The device is folded and packaged in
a packaging-tool. The packaging-tool is a strong rigid sleeve in
which the device is enclosed that is used to hold the waste in
place when scooping.
Inventors: |
Bohn; Jamie (Northridge,
CA) |
Family
ID: |
27416508 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/984,845 |
Filed: |
December 3, 1992 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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784636 |
Oct 28, 1991 |
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588005 |
Sep 25, 1990 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
294/1.3;
294/25 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E01H
1/1206 (20130101); E01H 2001/126 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E01H
1/00 (20060101); E01H 1/12 (20060101); A01K
029/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;294/1.1,1.3-1.5,25,55,131 ;15/104.8,257.1,257.4,257.6,257.7,227
;119/95,161,165,168 ;206/223,496 ;248/99 ;383/4,33,34 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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3518908 |
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Nov 1986 |
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DE |
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1150742 |
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Apr 1969 |
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GB |
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Other References
"Dispoz-A-Scoop" Advertisement, Petpro Products, Inc., Los Angeles,
Calif. 90067 (1987). .
"Scoop It" Advertisement, Engsol Corporation, Mississauga, Ontario
L5A 2X2..
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Primary Examiner: Cherry; Johnny D.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Marshall, O'Toole, Gerstein, Murray
& Borun
Parent Case Text
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/784,636, filed
Oct. 28, 1991, now abandoned, which is a continuation of
application Ser. No. 07/588,005, filed Sep. 25, 1990, now
abandoned.
Claims
I claim:
1. A container for scooping and containing solid waste
comprising:
flexible container means for containing solid waste, said container
means formed from flexible material having an opening for receiving
said waste, said flexible material extending from an attached
variable opening means for varying the size and configuration of
said opening; and
said attached variable opening means being affixed to said flexible
container material at said opening, and adapted for spreading open
said flexible container material, at said opening, to various
configurations, thereby adapting said opening to receive solid
waste of varied configurations within said opening, said opening
means formed from two elongate continuous sides of firm, flexible
material, each side having two spaced ends, each side affixed to an
opposite, adjacent side of said container material at said opening,
said elongate sides of firm, flexible material having a length
aligned with said opening and a width substantially perpendicular
to said opening, said length being shorter than a width of said
flexible container material and said length of each elongate side
being substantially larger than said elongate side width, and
having sufficient flexibility such that both of said elongate sides
of firm, flexible material can be grasped at their ends, in one
hand, to spread and bow said sides outwardly, under varied inward
hand compression, thereby varying the size and configuration of the
opening defined by said elongate sides of material, and readily
adapting the opening for scooping solid wastes of varied sizes and
configurations, while scooping the waste into the opening in said
flexible container.
2. The container of claim 1, wherein said variable opening means
further includes a recess means, in said ends of said elongate
sides, for aiding to grip said elongate sides, to vary the size and
configuration of said opening.
3. The container of claim 2, wherein said container further
includes packaging means for forcing said waste over one of said
elongate sides and into said flexible container means, said
packaging means formed from a material of sufficient strength to
assist in the scooping of waste, said packaging means adapted to
receive said container means therein prior to use.
4. The container of claim 3, wherein said packaging means comprises
a sleeve means for completely receiving said container means, prior
to use.
5. The container of claim 1, wherein said container means further
includes a skirt of flexible material joined to said container
means at said opening, and extending completely around the outside
of said container, from said opening, the width of said skirt being
greater than the length of the variable opening means, whereby said
skirt is adapted to cover a hand of a user while scooping solid
waste over one of said elongate sides of material.
6. The container of claim 5, wherein said skirt further includes
means for closing said container means, after covering said opening
with said flexible skirt material.
7. The container of claim 6, wherein said closing means comprises a
draw-tape movably received within a hem of said skirt material.
8. The container of claim 5, wherein said container means and said
skirt are both constructed from a single, continuous bag-shaped
flexible material which is folded partly inside-out to form said
skirt and said container means.
9. A container for scooping and containing solid waste
comprising:
a flexible container material adapted to contain solid waste and
having an opening for receiving said waste;
a collar of firm, flexible material affixed to said flexible
material at said opening, said collar including opposed,
coextensive sides each having a length aligned with said opening
substantially larger than a width, and each side having opposite
ends, said sides affixed parallel and adjacent each other to define
said opening, such that both collar sides can be gripped at said
ends between a thumb and finger of one hand such that compressive
force applied by said thumb and finger will manipulate said
opening, causing the collar sides to open said container to
variable sizes and configurations such that the collar can be used
to scoop said waste, of various sizes and configurations, into the
opening; and
a skirt of flexible material extending from said opening and
adapted to extend completely around said container, said skirt of
flexible material being wider than the length of said collar,
whereby the skirt of material is adapted to surround the thumb and
finger in contact with said collar during waste scooping to protect
the user of the container from direct contact of said waste.
10. The container of claim 9, wherein said collar further includes
a recess, in each of said opposite ends, for aiding to grip said
collar sides, to vary the size and configuration of said
opening.
11. The container of claim 9, wherein said container further
includes packaging means for forcing said waste over one of said
collar sides and into said flexible container material, said
packaging means formed from a material of sufficient strength to
assist in the scooping of waste, said packaging means being adapted
to receive said container therein prior to use.
12. The container of claim 11, wherein said packaging means
comprises a sleeve means for completely receiving said container
prior to use.
13. The container of claim 9, wherein said skirt further includes
means for closing said container, after covering said opening with
said flexible skirt material.
14. The container of claim 13, wherein said closing means comprises
a draw-tape movably received within a hem of said skirt
material.
15. The container of claim 9, wherein said container and said skirt
are both constructed from a single, continuous bag-shaped flexible
material which is folded partly inside-out to form said skirt and
said container.
16. The container of claim 9, wherein said variable opening means
further includes a recess means, in said ends of said elongate
sides, for aiding to grip said elongate sides, to vary the size and
configuration of said opening.
17. A container for scooping and containing solid waste
comprising:
a flexible container material for containing solid waste, said
material formed to provide an opening for receiving said waste and
extending, from an attached collar;
said attached collar of firm, flexible material being affixed to
said flexible container material at said opening, said collar
including two elongate sides having a length substantially greater
than their width, said two sides each having two ends wherein one
end of both elongate sides are disposed adjacent each other and
another end of both elongate sides are disposed adjacent each other
and said elongate sides are affixed to opposed sides of said
container material to define said opening, such that a collar side
can scoop said waste into said container material, and such that a
user of the container can contact two adjacent ends of said
elongate collar sides with a thumb and two other adjacent ends of
said elongate collar sides with one or more fingers, in one hand,
to variably flex open the container material, at said opening, and
scoop said waste into the opening by contact with one of said
elongate collar sides, and a skirt of flexible material being
capable of extending over the thumb and finger used to flex the
opening to protect a user from direct contact with said waste.
18. A method of confining solid waste material in a container,
without direct contact of the waste material, comprising:
grasping opposing ends of two opposed elongate sides of firm,
flexible collar material, defining a container opening, between a
thumb and one or more fingers of one hand to bow the opposed
elongate sides outwardly, away from each other, and disposing one
elongate side of collar material adjacent to said solid waste;
compressing said elongate collar sides sufficiently to manipulate
said container opening to adapt a size and configuration of said
container opening to scoop said waste into said opening; and
said opposed elongate sides of firm, flexible collar material being
affixed to adjacent sides of flexible container material at said
opening, said container material adapted to contain said solid
waste received therein; said elongate sides of collar material
having a length aligned with said opening and having a width
substantially perpendicular to said opening, with the length
substantially larger than the width, and having sufficient
flexibility to spread and bow the elongate sides of material
outwardly with one hand; said flexible container material being
wider than said length of said elongate sides of collar material,
and further including the step of disposing the hand over the
elongate sides of collar material and under a skirt of flexible
container material, extending downwardly from said collar, and
grasping said opposite ends of said elongate sides while said hand
is covered and protected from direct contact with said waste by
said skirt of flexible container material.
19. A container for scooping and containing solid waste
comprising:
flexible container means for containing solid waste, said container
means formed from flexible material having an opening for receiving
said waste, said flexible material extending from an attached
variable opening means for varying the size and configuration of
said opening; and
said attached variable opening means being affixed to said flexible
container material at said opening, and adapted for spreading open
said flexible container material, at said opening, to various
configurations, thereby adapting said opening to receive solid
waste of varied configurations within said opening, said opening
means formed from two elongate continuous sides of firm, flexible
material, each side having two spaced ends, each side affixed to an
opposite, adjacent side of said container material at said opening,
said elongate sides of firm, flexible material having a length
aligned with said opening and a width substantially perpendicular
to said opening, said length of each elongate side being
substantially larger than said elongate side width, and having
sufficient flexibility such that both of said elongate sides of
firm, flexible material can be grasped at their ends, in one hand,
to spread and bow said sides outwardly, under varied inward hand
compression, thereby varying the size and configuration of the
opening defined by said elongate sides of material, and readily
adapting the opening for scooping solid wastes of varied sizes and
configurations, while scooping the waste into the opening in said
flexible container.
Description
BACKGROUND
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a container device for the collection of
pet waste and other noxous materials.
2. Description of Prior Art
A primary application of this invention is the collection of dog
waste. It is estimated that in the United States there are more
than 50 million dogs, that produce more than 5 thousand tons of
waste per day. Most major municipalities have pet waste laws
("scooper laws") in an attempt to alleviate some of this problem.
Unfortunately, no product exists that allows pet owners to
conveniently, effectively, and efficiently clean-up after their pet
(e.g., their dog). All devices designed heretofore to address this
problem are ineffective and inconvenient to use.
Collecting devices such as Marvin U.S. Pat. No. 3,813,121 (1974),
and scooping devices such as Johnson U.S. Pat. No. 3,850,467 (1974)
and Bagg U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,565 (1988), are too large to
conveniently fit into one's pocket and require hand carrying. These
scoop devices have no way to compensate for the movement of waste
and are awkward to use when the waste is in more than one mass.
These collecting devices are ineffective when the waste (or stool)
is loose and are awkward to use when the waste is in more than one
mass, requiring the compiling of said waste in order to collect
it.
the scooping device of Dahlke U.S. Pat. No. 3,837,696 (1974) has a
very limited capacity and is very difficult and messy to use when
the waste is of significant volume.
Glove or glove-like devices such as Jacobs U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,251
(1987), Hayes U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,697 (1987), and Kolie U.S. Pat.
No. 4,768,818 (1988) are inconvenient because they expose the user
to the texture and sometimes the temperature of the waste. These
glove and glove-like devices: 1) restrict the volume of waste that
can be picked up to the size of the user's hands, 2) require the
user to combine waste that is deposited in several locations in
order to pick-up the entire mass, and 3) are difficult to use when
waste is loose.
A waste collecting device that is on the market ("DISPOS-A-SCOOP")
is also a scooping device. It suffers from a large fixed profile
that requires hand carrying. It has a relatively small opening that
will not accommodate some waste configurations. Used as instructed,
the outside of the container becomes contaminated and it provides
no means for compensating for waste movement.
"Scoop-It" is another scooping device that is on the market. It is
a large molded plastic apparatus which is covered with a flexible
plastic sleeve to keep it clean and capture the waste. It is
inconvenient to carry and difficult to use when the waste is loose
or in several masses.
OBJECTIVES AND ADVANTAGES
The objectives and advantages of my invention are:
1) It is a small, light-weight container device that will easily
fit into clothing pockets, making it easy and convenient to
carry.
2) It is a container device with the means of quickly and
efficiently scooping or picking-up waste.
3) It is a container device capable of collecting almost any
reasonable volume of waste.
4) It is a container device capable of easily picking up waste
regardless of its configuration or number of masses.
5) It is a container device that protects the user from accidental
contamination during and after utilization.
6) It is a container device that is easy to close and clean to
carry after use.
7) It is a container device that includes the means for handling
the movement of waste when scooping.
8) It is a container device that is inexpensive to manufacture and
purchase.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a container device. It is comprised of a
flexible container with a firm flexible collar around the opening.
The collar is used to scoop the waste into the container. The
collar can open, close and manipulate the opening to the container.
The device also has a protective skirt of flexible material that
surrounds it and protects the user and the container from
contamination. The skirt contains a closing means, such as a draw
string or adhesive tape. After use, the skirt is pulled back over
the container and closed. The device is folded and packaged in a
packaging-tool. The packaging-tool is a packaging means of
sufficient strength to hold the waste in place when scooping and
assist in it's collection.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The drawings reflect different embodiments of the container device.
In the drawings, closely related figures have the same number, but
different alphabetic suffixes.
FIG. 1 shows a prospective view of a simple embodiment.
FIG. 2 shows an engineering view of a simple embodiment.
FIG. 3 shows a prospective view of a preferred embodiment.
FIG. 4 shows an engineering view of a preferred embodiment,
unfolded.
FIG. 5 shows an engineering view of a preferred embodiment,
folded.
FIGS. 6A to 6E show the operating instructions of the container
device in a preferred embodiment.
FIG. 6A shows the removal of the container device from the
packaging-tool.
FIG. 6B shows the inserting of the hand between the container and
the skirt to grasp the collar.
FIG. 6C shows the scooping-up of waste.
FIG. 6D shows the depositing of the packaging-tool into
container.
FIG. 6E shows the closing of the container device.
REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS
The letter A shall be used after the following numbers to designate
the same elements in the simple embodiment.
______________________________________ 11 sealed edge 12 sealed
edge 13 sealed edge 14 open edge 15 recessed finger area or
gripping means 16 sealed edge 17 sealed edge 18 sealed edge 19 open
edge 20 container 25 collar 30 skirt 35 closing means 40
packaging-tool ______________________________________
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIGS. 1 and 2. In a simple embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,
the container device consists of a container 20A and a collar 25A
and a packaging-tool 40A. The container 20A consists of two equal
rectangular pieces of flexible material closed or sealed together
at the edges on three sides 11A, 12A, 13A. It is open on the fourth
side 14A to create a pocket into which waste is collected. The
collar 25A is comprised of two flat rectangular strips of a firm,
flexible material which are respectively bonded or affixed to
opposite sides, at the edge of the open side 14A of the container
20A. The strips have opposite ends. The length of the strips is
parallel and their width is perpendicular to the open side of the
container. They form a collar-like band at the opening of the
container 20A through which the waste passes. They have recessed
finger areas 15A at each end. The collar 25A may be made of any
firm flexible material capable of scooping up waste and flexible
enough to repeatedly bend without cracking or breaking. The
container 20A is folded around the collar 25A and inserted into the
packaging-tool 40A. The packaging-tool 40A is a rigid chipboard
sleeve which surrounds the container device and is open at the
ends. It contains recessed cut-out areas at the ends to facilitate
the removing of the device.
FIGS. 3,4, and 5. In a preferred embodiment, the container device
is comprised of a container 20, a collar 25, a skirt 30, a closing
means 35 and a packaging-tool 40. In this preferred embodiment, as
shown in FIGS. 3,4, and 5, the container device is constructed from
two rectangular sheets of flexible material, closed or sealed
together on three sides 16,17,18 and open on the fourth side 19.
The container 20 and the skirt 30 are constructed by reversing the
material part-way, back-over itself. The material is folded
back-over itself to the collar 25. In this embodiment, the collar
25 is constructed from a single flat rectangular piece of a firm
flexible material folded in half and bonded together at the open
end. The collar has opposite ends. The length of the collar is
parallel and the width is perpendicular to the open end of the
container. The collar 25 contains recessed finger areas 15 at the
ends to facilitate gripping. It is bonded or affixed in the
vertical center and below the horizontal center of the material
(away from the open end). This placement causes the skirt 30 to be
longer than the container 20. A draw-string closing means 35 is
added to the end of the open side 19 of the material. In this
embodiment, the material is wider than the collar 25. This allows
space between the outer edges of the collar 25 and the sealed edges
16,18 of the material for the user to insert his hand and increases
the load capacity of the container. The material is folded around
the collar 25 and inserted into the packaging-tool 40. The
packaging-tool 40 is a rigid chipboard sleeve which surrounds the
device and is open at the ends. It contains recessed cut-out areas
15 at the ends to make it easier to remove the device.
There are a variety of ways to manufacture this invention. It may
be made of a wide variety of materials (e.g., paper, plastic,
latex, elastomeric materials, etc.). It may be constructed from a
single piece of material which is folded and or connected on three
sides and open on the fourth side. It may also be constructed from
two separate pieces of material which are connected on three sides
and open on the fourth. The collar 25 may be affixed to the inside
or the outside of the material. The material may be wider than,
narrower than or the same width as the collar 25. The material may
be bonded or affixed to the collar 25 flat or gathered. The
material may be gusseted. The collar 25 may be affixed before or
after the material has been folded to form the container 20 and the
skirt 30, when both are constructed from the same material. The
collar 25 may be made from a single piece of material which is
folded and or connected at one or two ends or two separate pieces
which are connected at one or two ends or bonded opposite each
other. The collar 25 may incorporate a variety of designs to make
grasping and using easter (e.g., recesses and protrusions for
holding, etc.). The collar 25 may be made from any number of
materials that will function as described (e.g., chipboard,
plastic, latex, metal, elastomeric materials, etc.). This invention
may be constructed with or without an outer skirt 30. The skirt 30
may be constructed from the same material as the container 20 or
from a separate material. The skirt 30 may be constructed to be
shorter, longer, or the same size as the container 20. This
invention may or may not contain a closing means 35. The closing
means 35 may be any of a wide variety of means (e.g., draw-string,
draw-tape, adhesive, wire tie, etc.). The packaging-tool 40 may be
any one of many types of packaging means that will function as
described (e.g., sleeve, box, wrapper, etc.). It may be constructed
from any of a variety of materials (plastic, chipboard, elastomeric
materials, etc.). The container device may only contain a tool of
sufficient strength to stop the movement of waste without having
packaging capability. The packaging and the scoop assist tool may
be separate items. The invention and all the parts may be
constructed in a variety of sizes.
These examples illustrate some of the varying embodiments of this
invention. From this description, a number of advantages of the
present container device become evident:
1) It is small, light-weight, and easy to carry.
2) It is a flexible container capable of holding a significant
volume of waste.
3) The collar allows the user to quickly open, close and manipulate
the opening of the container to facilitate collection.
4) The collar allows the user to collect the waste without actually
touching it.
5) The skirt effectively protects the user and the outside of the
container from accidental contamination when in use.
6) The packaging-tool provides an effective means to stop or
compensate for the movement of the waste.
7) The draw-tape or draw-string closure provides a quick, effective
way to enclose the waste in the container and transport it for
disposal.
OPERATION--FIGS. 6A TO 6E
To operate the invention in a simple embodiment:
1) The user removes the container device from the packaging-tool 40
and unfolds it.
2) The user holds the container device by the collar 25 and
squeezes inward at the ends to open the container 20. The amount of
pressure controls the width of the opening.
3) The user holds the packaging-tool 40 in one hand to stop the
waste from moving and the container 20 in the other, and scoops the
waste into the container 20, using the collar 25.
4) The user deposits the waste-soiled packaging-tool 40 into the
container 20 and may deposit the container 20 into the nearest
waste receptacle.
To operate the container device in a preferred embodiment:
1) FIG. 6A. The user removes the container device from the
packaging-tool 40 and unfolds it.
2) FIG. 6B. The user places his hand between the container 20 and
the skirt 30 and grasps the collar 25 at the recessed finger areas
15. The user squeezes inward at the ends of collar 25 to open
container 20. The user controls the size of the opening with
pressure on the collar 25.
3) FIG. 6C. The user uses the packaging-tool 40 in one hand to stop
the waste movement, and the container device in the other hand to
scoop the waste into the container 10, with the use of the collar
25.
4) FIG. 6D. The user deposits the waste-soiled packaging-tool 40
into the container 20.
5) FIG. 6E. The user releases the inward pressure on the collar,
then uses his free hand to pull the skirt 30 back over the top of
the container 20 and collar 25, and uses the draw-string to close
the container.
6) The user may deposit the container device into the nearest waste
receptacle.
This description shows how conveniently and effectively this
invention accomplishes all the objectives previously stated.
1) It is small, light-weight and easy to carry in one's clothing
pockets.
2) It is quick and easy to use.
3) It is capable of holding large volumes of waste.
4) It allows the user to modify the shape of the opening to
compensate for configuration of the waste.
5) It protects the user from contamination during and after
use.
6) It is quick and easy to close and carry for disposal.
7) It provides the means of stopping and handling the movement of
waste in a scooping situation.
8) It is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
Although the above description contains many specificities, these
do not limit the scope of the invention, but merely provide
illustrations of some of the preferred embodiments of the
invention. For example, the collar could be made from an extruded
plastic, die cut for shape and having enough memory to cause it to
open when removed from the packaging-tool.
* * * * *